Buy Miles - 200% Bonus

[Happy Trails]

Take advantage of a mega bonus of up to 200% for every LM 1,000 you buy. Even though we do not intent to change our award rates, for the members who purchase this promotion we will honor these award tables until at least January 2021. Promotion valid from September 8th through September 25th, 2020.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

$1200 return Australia to Asia on Thai Airways business class is tempting... but too many issues with LM at the moment to make this offer appealing There are reports of some airlines cancelling LM issued awards due to non-payment by LM. And other airlines withdrawing seats from display.

Think we need to wait a bit until post covid.

 

[Mattg]

200% bonus? Geez - the highest I think we've seen before was around 150%. LifeMiles must be getting desperate!

Interesting comment about honouring the current award charts for those that buy miles during this promotion, "even though we do not intent to change our award rates". Reminds me of 1961 when Walter Ulbricht declared, unprompted, "nobody has the intention of building a wall", a few weeks before his east German government built the Berlin Wall.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yeah... the award chart message has been around for the last few promos IIRC. I guess they want people to buy miles 'with confidence'.

 

[Mattg]

Yeah... the award chart message has been around for the last few promos IIRC. I guess they want people to buy miles 'with confidence'.

Oh, I must've missed that. Good to know that they didn't then devalue immediately after those previous promos...

 

[kpc]

No Thanks!

 

[boomy]

Amazing offer! Good for people who live in free countries that let them travel. Too risky for any of us here in AUS to buy miles ATM but I’m quite positive these promos will continue in 2021.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Amazing offer! Good for people who live in free countries that let them travel. Too risky for any of us here in AUS to buy miles ATM but I’m quite positive these promos will continue in 2021.

No doubt there will be promos in 2021... but the recommendation to 'not buy' is pretty much applicable across the board - free country or not. Too many problems at the moment.

 

[boomy]

No doubt there will be promos in 2021... but the recommendation to 'not buy' is pretty much applicable across the board - free country or not. Too many problems at the moment.

It’s a calculated risk I suppose. I could be tempted if was able to book and travel within T-14 days. Off course with proper due diligence, like checking with the airline they accept LM award bookings among other things.

 

[Notyourbag]

Tempting but will wait for 2021.
I've read on other forums you can't book Turkish business on Lifemiles at the moment.

 

[luxury-lizard]

Yup - got the e-mail and it just confirmed to me that LM is getting desperate for cash. I'm still sitting on a stack of miles I've been unable to use even prior to Covid. I've essentially "written these off" - at previous promo rates worth about $A7000 - it will be my bonus if I ever get to use these.

Let's face it the options ex-Australia are:-

• TG who had seemingly withdrawn all award inventory until CV struck
• NH and OZ who only ever release one seat which is not attractive when you are flying with a partner.
• AC which can be a great option (for me anyway as I travel to Canada at least once a year) but award seats are hard to come by
• UA - I can't recall the last time I saw a j award seat (with the exception being close in)
• The odd seat on SQ (J of course) was so rare I don't count it.

Also before this 200% promo, with the low $A I felt that buying J tickets to Europe (in particular) was a competitive option.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think that's a fair assessment luxury-lizard. TG was - pre-covid - ok for a three month foward booking window. At the moment it seems any availability that's showing is not actually bookable.

UA I've had success with, flew with them in October last year SYD-LAX and then on to Chicago. LM offered me seats on SQ J into Australia on the same trip after they missed availability that was there originally on TG. But that's not guaranteed.

Air China can be ok. But there's a 'do not travel' advisory for Aussie to China (over and above the covid restrictions).

 

[Guvner]

A few First awards on NH211/212 (2 seats) with the new "The Suite" offering appearing late October.
Rev price on Google Flights around $36,500 AUD..!
At <$4000 AUD return with this promo I would be tempted if I could get out of MEL

 

[jgm]

At ~A15c/mile it's the best value I've seen since we were above parity with the US$.

 

[glasszon]

Don't forget the airline itself is under administration. I know the Lifemile programme isn't, but good luck redeeming for flights with star alliance if Avianca goes under.

Remember you are buying Lifemile points, and there's no guarantee you can use it for flight redemption at current rate.

 

[Guvner]

It's a valid consideration however that redemption risk has been around for a long time.

I noticed this the other day: LifeMiles Introduces Innovative "Miles Care" in Partnership with FinTech and InsurTech Company, novae.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

It's a valid consideration however that redemption risk has been around for a long time.

I noticed this the other day: LifeMiles Introduces Innovative "Miles Care" in Partnership with FinTech and InsurTech Company, novae.

This time the redemption issues are a little more serious than before Airlines like Turkish are proactively canceling bookings under LM. That's not something we've experienced previously.

 

[Major]

Even before Covid you could rarely find an award seat with NZ.

I will pass on this promotion

 

[jgm]

This time the redemption issues are a little more serious than before Airlines like Turkish are proactively canceling bookings under LM. That's not something we've experienced previously.

Validated source?

 

[jgm]

Even before Covid you could rarely find an award seat with NZ.

Lifemiles aren't Robinson Crusoe there. NZ award availability for all *A partners have been almost impossible to find. It is basically a function of the NZ Airpoints program that does not require the release of award seats for it's own members.